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JAMES G. HADDEN, OF NEWT YORK, N. Y.

LETTER-FI LE.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,l7, dated April 10, 1866.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. HADDEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved File for Letters, Newspapers, Snc.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawin gs, forming part of this specification.

In accompanying plate of drawings my improved letterle is illustrated, Figure l being a view of the letter-nie with its covers opened, and Fig. 2 a view ot` the front edge of the same when closed.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

In the letter-file, as shown in the drawings herewith, it is made in a hook form, having two similar covers, A and B, joined together by a common back piece, C, as in ordinary books, between which covers the letters which are to be tiled are placed, and held by means ot' and upon two upright right-angular-shaped pins, a ct, placed a short distance apart and equidistant from the lower and upper edges ot' the cover and from its back piece, C, these pins a a being thus secured at one end in and to one and the same section A of the cover, and in such a manner as to be easily swung about or around therein, so that their horizontal portions or arms b can be made to point in any desired direction'with regard to the width or length of the covers; but in lieu, however, of arranging these pins so that they can be swung entirely around upon the book-cover in which they are hung, as described, I prefer, and deem it to be more desirable and advantageous, to so hang them that while they can be swung within the cover their length of movenient will be limited to only the quarter ot' a circle, or thereabout, as, for instance, from a position with their arms parallel, or nearly so, to each other, and in the same direction with the width ot the book-covers, and toward the opposite cover thereof, to a position in which they will be in one and the same straight line, or nearly so, the letters, when the arms are in the said parallel position with regard to each other, being then easily, evenly, and smoothly slipped over the same and down upon their upright portions or pins, when, by then turning or swinging the said pins around and into the same line with each other, or nearly so, they will be securely held, and cannot by any possibility work oft' of the pins, as is obvious, and which would be extremely liable to occur, if the tile or pins had any considerable number of letters upon them, were they allowed to remain parallel to each other.

In addition to the security given to the retention of the letters upon the pins by swiveling them in the cover, as above explained, pins ot" a height equal to the entire thickness of the back of the covers can be used, as when in one and the same line with each it is obvious that no interference of them with the opposite cover of the book, when the book is closed, occurs, which would be the case were they left parallel with each other; and to prevent any damage from which to the opposite cover, should the covers, by any carelessness or forgetfuiness, be closed when the said pins were parallel to each other and with their points toward the opposite cover, I have attached to and along the said cover, and in the proper position thereon, a strip, d, of metal or other suitable protective material, which strip may be secured by rivets or in` any other proper manner.

It is obvious that, although I have described the pins for holding the letters as swiveled in a book-cover, the cover or covers are not absolutely necessary to the working of the same; but with them the letters, after being filed, can be kept clean and free from dirt; and, furthermore, in lieu of only two pins, more may be used; but I deem two sufiicient, as with such number the letters are held steady and cannot swing about, it being only necessary that, whatever number ot' pins is used, at least two of the same should be so hung within the frame or strip to which they may be secured as to be susceptible of being sufficiently turned or swung about as to prevent all possibility of the letters working off ot` the said pins, while at the same time they can be all brought into the proper position to allow the letters to be readily and evenly placed upon and removed from them.

To facilitate the placing of the letter upon the pins c c, they may be made sharp-pointed at their outer ends; and, furthermore, al-

though I have described my improved le With particular reference to letters, it may be used for newspapers or any other substances or articles having a sheet form, as, for instance, samples of cotton, linen, or Woolen cloths, dress-patterns, &c., and, therefore, I do not intend to limit myself to the use or employment of it for any one particular article.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A ile for letters, newspapers, &c., in which two or more angular-shaped holding pins or staples therefor are used and arranged so as to operate substantially in the manner described.

2. In combination With the above, protecting the opposite cover of the book to that in which the letter-holding pins are used by means of a metallic plate or other suitable material, substantially as described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 8th day of November, 1865. Witnesses: JAMES C. HADDEN.

ALBERT W. BROWN,

G. L. TOPLIFF. 

